• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

What is the best safety stop for your tether and lineman's ropes?

DMTJAGER

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2018
Messages
404
Was wondering what is consider the best most secure and easiest to use safety stop you can attach to your tether and lineman's rope to stop your prussic or other device from accidentally or unintentionally sliding down the rope resulting in potentially very unpleasant situation.
 
A very easy stopper knot to try is a triple overhand knot.


This mimics a fisherman- scaffold-esque knot of another name (it is a turns into it but is easier to tie). I can't remember the exact name, but there is a complicated way to make the same knot.

I use this knot for a stopper on everything.
 
Great, what awesome easy to tie knots I will use without doubt.
But now allow me to ask the question using the correct wording because I now realize I did not in my original request.

What I meant to ask was what is the best most secure and easiest to use safety stop on your tether or lineman rope that can SLIDE both directions on the rope so when I adjust the prusik knot on my lineman or tether I can slide the stop up and prevent any unwanted or accidental loosening of either my tether or lineman.
My apologies for my mistake.
 
Great, what awesome easy to tie knots I will use without doubt.
But now allow me to ask the question using the correct wording because I now realize I did not in my original request.

What I meant to ask was what is the best most secure and easiest to use safety stop on your tether or lineman rope that can SLIDE both directions on the rope so when I adjust the prusik knot on my lineman or tether I can slide the stop up and prevent any unwanted or accidental loosening of either my tether or lineman.
My apologies for my mistake.

If you need it to slide both ways, I would probably just add a prussic with something like a Beal Jammy. You could just use accessory cord, but if you are going to be adding extra weight and components to your system, why not add something that is climb rated? That way it could possibly help you in a weird situation where you needed it.
 
Great, what awesome easy to tie knots I will use without doubt.
But now allow me to ask the question using the correct wording because I now realize I did not in my original request.

What I meant to ask was what is the best most secure and easiest to use safety stop on your tether or lineman rope that can SLIDE both directions on the rope so when I adjust the prusik knot on my lineman or tether I can slide the stop up and prevent any unwanted or accidental loosening of either my tether or lineman.
My apologies for my mistake.

I use a triple fisherman's knot, but cut it so it is just a piece that slides.


Imagine only tying one side on the link above and then cutting it short. It would just slide around. I leave a little bit of tag end and on the side toward the tree, I give the tag a few wraps of duct tape so that it really wedges. I like this knot because you can grab both tag ends and give a tug to tighten it up whenever you'd like so it doesn't slide as easily and the taped tag end works well for retention.

There's a more complicated knot that looks cool that I'm sure someone will also post soon.
 
I use a triple fisherman's knot, but cut it so it is just a piece that slides.


Imagine only tying one side on the link above and then cutting it short. It would just slide around. I leave a little bit of tag end and on the side toward the tree, I give the tag a few wraps of duct tape so that it really wedges. I like this knot because you can grab both tag ends and give a tug to tighten it up whenever you'd like so it doesn't slide as easily and the taped tag end works well for retention.

There's a more complicated knot that looks cool that I'm sure someone will also post soon.

I think that’s a constrictor knot.

 
I think that’s a constrictor knot.


Good catch. It is, except Bowmar doesn't underline enough that the two ends should lock against each other so that when you tighten they do not move. Not overlapping/locking them is the way to tie a scaffold or fisherman's knot incorrectly so that it comes apart.
 
Last edited:
Thanks once again looks like a perfect knot for the intended application. What type and diameter of rope would be best suited for this application?
I would likely use 9 or 10mm Sterling HVT Static rope for my bridge, lineman and tether.
I prefer 10mm Sterling HVT as that is what my current Lineman and rope I secure around the tree and tie of my RCH is made of.
 
Last edited:
Thanks once again looks like a perfect knot for the intended application. What type and diameter of rope would be best suited for this application?
I would likely use 9 or 10mm Sterling HVT Static rope for my bridge, lineman and tether.

Just like a friction hitch, the smaller the rope, the more it is likely to lock up and not slide easily. I am using Oplux on Oplux. I might switch to making this knot on Oplux with TRC, since TRC is what my distel hitches are made with. In reality, in this non-weight bearing application, it doesn't matter that much. Anything will hold enough to do what you need.
 
TRC? Enlighten me please.

It's the rope that Sterling (makers of Oplux and TRC) recommends for friction hitches on Oplux. Every rope in my system is either Oplux or TRC (aside from amsteel on my steps).

 
I just use a double overhand stopper knot on my lineman belt and a figure eight on a bight on my tether.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'll try out the knots suggested and see what I like best.
Thanks for all the input and great videos and links to more videos.
 
Back
Top